Chuck Hagel grilled in Senate confirmation hearing

Defence Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has talked tough on Iran while pledging to support a strong Israeli military, at a testy confirmation hearing.

Members of the Senate armed services committee are questioning Mr Hagel, who has been accused of remarks hostile to Israel and soft on Iran.

There was a heated exchange between Senator John McCain and Mr Hagel when the Pentagon nominee was asked about a remark he once made that bolstering troop levels during the Iraq war was "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam".